He appealed to all the party members, particularly all the aggrieved aspirants, to shun acrimony, close ranks, be united, and work for the victory of APC and its gubernatorial candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in the next month’s governorship election.

Governor Sanwo-Olu spoke on Sunday during the party’s stakeholders meeting in Akure, Ondo State’s capital.

The meeting was attended by Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo); Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), represented by the Secretary to Ogun State Government, Talabi Olatokunbo; APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru; National Vice Chairman (South-West), Hon. Isaac Kekemeke; former governorship aspirants; and other party leaders at national and state levels.

Speaking during the stakeholders meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is the South-West Coordinator of the APC, said Ondo State is very important to the progressives and all hands must be on deck to ensure that it remains within the progressive caucus.

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According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, he, along with other governors and leaders of the party, would work assiduously to bring all members of the party together to form a formidable and indivisible bloc as the party goes into the governorship election in Ondo State, knowing that it is only a united front that can emerge victorious in political contests.

He said, “We have come here as a happy family. As APC family, we have come here to strengthen the party, and none of you will be left behind; nobody will be taken for granted as all of you are important, strategic, and critical in the delivery of our electoral victory on November 16.

“We have acknowledged yesterday’s Ondo; we are acknowledging today’s Ondo State, and the future is bright for Ondo State. This in-house meeting is to embrace all of us, beg all of us, and for all of us to agree to put whatever we have behind us. What is ahead of us is greater than what is behind us, and that is forward ever, backward never.

“The future is bright for Ondo. We must agree. We can’t get any leadership support other than this. If we come together, we will win. We are going out for an election; we need everyone in this election. That is why I brought everyone together to come and appeal to you. More than 85 per cent of the votes we must get.”

In his address, APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, also appealed to all the aggrieved members, particularly those who contested the party’s primary with Governor Aiyedatiwa, to close ranks and work as a team to ensure APC victory in the governorship election.

He said, “We are expecting 90 per cent in the election; make sure you know those who are supposed to vote in your units and ensure they are mobilised to come out for the election.

“We assure you that Tinubu is the best we have, and we must deliver 100 per cent in favour of APC in this election and in the South-West region. We assure you we are strategising to take over the two other states in this region.”

Also speaking, Governor Oyebanji urged all party members to remain united to preserve the achievements of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure that APC remains the ruling party in Ondo State.

“We have a duty to ensure the achievement of Akeredolu is not reversed. We have a duty to keep Ondo State in the progressive circle. Coming second is not an option. We must retain APC in power,” he said.

Governor Aiyedatiwa, who appreciated party leaders and stakeholders for their show of love, unity and commitment, said the gubernatorial election is about moving Ondo forward and therefore appealed for unwavering support to achieve the goal.

Speaking at the event, some of the former APC governorship aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke, Mr Wale Akinterinwa and Princess Oladunni Odu, among others, expressed their commitment to work for APC and Governor Aiyedatiwa’s victory in the gubernatorial poll.

They said all the aspirants have agreed to work for Governor Aiyedatiwa to ensure that the opposition party does not take over Ondo State.

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The Senator Joshua Lidani-led screening committee of the party gave the approval to the aspirants.

The primary is to hold on April 20.

A report submitted to the party’s Directorate of Organisation in Abuja on Saturday, said the committee considered eligibility, suitability, character, support base, among other areas.

Among those cleared are Chief Olusola Oke; Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Isaac Kekemeke, former APC National Vice-Chairman (South West); Olusoji Ehinlanwo, a former member of the House of Assembly; Olugbenga Edema, and Jimoh Ibrahim.

Others are Mrs Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo, Akinfolarin Samuel, former Commissioner for Finance; Adewale Akinterinwa, Ohunyeye Felix and Morayo Lebi.

Garvey Iyanjan; Prof. Francis Faduyile; Mrs Judith Omogoroye; Ifeoluwa Oyedele and  Okunjimi  John were also cleared.

“All aspirants demonstrated a willingness to support the aspirant that emerged as the party’s candidate for the November 2024 governorship election,” the report indicated.

It urged the party’s leadership to ensure that the April 20 primary election was free, fair, credible and acceptable to all.

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, Mr Benson Enikuomehin, has declared that Chief Olusola Oke towers above all other aspirants from Ondo South jostling for the governorship seat of Ondo State.

This is as he asserted that allowing the incumbent governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to contest the election will amount to short-changing the people of Ondo South.

Mr. Enikuomehin made the declarations on Thursday at a press conference held in Lagos.

He said the pedigree of Oke and his understanding of the issues regarding how to develop Ondo State stood him out.

He added that apart from the other factors, Oke was the only one among the aspirants who is not having any political appointment at the moment and has been financing his campaign.

Enikuomehin spoke about the grave implication of Governor Aiyedatiwa running for the office again after he had succeeded his late boss, Rotimi Akeredolu.

According to him, allowing Aiyedatiwa to contest for the governorship seat would amount to short-changing the people of Ondo South.

He said Governor Aiyedatiwa could only spend a term going by the amendments in the constitution that says, “Once you succeed your boss, you can only spend a term.”

Enikuomehin explained that the constitution talks about two term of eight years, hence Oke should be allowed to clinch the seat.

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He added: “Providence has thrown up Aiyedatiwa as the governor at this moment, and we are not quarrelling with that. Assuming that the providence would allow him to do two terms, it would have been better. We’ll be short-changed if Aiyedatiwa is allowed to contest.”

Speaking on the imperative of the need to allow Chief Olusola Oke to become the next governor, coming from Ondo South, Enikuomehin stated that former Governor Olusegun Mimiko from Ondo Central spent eight years and was closely followed by late Rotimi Akeredolu, from Ondo North, who spent almost eight years before his death. So, Ondo South deserves eight unbroken years and this is where the choice of Olusola Oke becomes important.”

He reiterated that of all the aspirants from Ondo South jostling for the governorship seat, Oke stood out, particularly in view of his pedigree.

The APC chieftain, who said he had nothing personal against Governor Aiyedatiwa, stressed that he was among those who fought for him not to be impeached during the political turbulence, adding that “what is at stake now is bigger than him.”

“We cannot allow a greenhorn to run the state.

“When I listened to Chief Oke’s manifesto and what he promised to do, it’s very extensive, and it shows that he understands what the issues are,” Enikuomehin added.

He said “Chief Olusola Oke can finance his campaign, and he won’t be the one the EFCC will be pursuing after his exit from government.”

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Oke pledged that he would reduce poverty if elected in the state.

He spoke on Wednesday while hosting 26 associations under the platform of Unity Forum that purchased the forms for him in Abuja.

“Under my watch in Ondo, we will reduce poverty. The state is not meant to be poor at all with the abundant natural, agricultural resources and longest coastline. I will bring back those good old days.

“We will generate employment, create wealth for our people and return them to the proud people they used to be. There will be a new lease of life and Ondo will rise again and the sun will shine again.

“We are going to engage in massive opening up of the rural areas for the first time so that our people can access our wealth. It has been our major problem since the creation of the state. The rural dwellers have never been touched or given the opportunity,” he said.

The aspirant, who called for a change in the party’s leadership in the state, also pledged to promote unity among the party’s stakeholders.

“We are all aware that the party has been going through trying period with the centre not holding.

“Our experience in the last election shows that there is need to have a new leadership, new face and new APC in the state.

“I represent that new face of APC in Ondo State. I will unite everybody and my mission will be to protect APC.

“Unless there is a change in the leadership of the APC in the state, the party may slide into opposition. I have to come out because we don’t want it to happen.

“During the general election, we lost two senatorial seats, five House of Representatives and the presidential election in the state,” Oke said.

He said that he was stepping forward with confidence to have the party ticket to deliver.

“As at today, I am the only person that will have the ticket and there will be no PDP in Ondo State,” the aspirant said.

Earlier, the Director-General, Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation, Mr Olariwaju Kazeem, presented the nomination forms to Oke under the platform of the Unity Forum.

Kazeem urged the party’s National Working Committee to approve direct mode of primary to ensure members’ participation and fairness in the process.

Source: NAN

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